A Lesson In Betrayal, Part Three
Team Titan Think Tank,' Issue 10 "A Lesson in Betrayal" (Part 3)' Front cover- along the bottom of the colour, in large yellow letters, are the words 'FATHER VS SON.' The image on the cover is Battling Briton, with Reb in a headlock, as he tussles his hair. Reb is scrunching his eyes. Behind Battling Briton, hovers a giant hand made of white energy, readying a giant finger to flick Battling Briton on the back of the head. Thusly, the issue begins with everybody in the laboratory, except for Reb. Yu enters the lab immediately after knocking, spots Tonic and marches over to stand just to her side. "Tonic." He offers a nod to whoever else might catch his eye. Tonic is leafing through a wedge of hand-written notes thicker than she is wide, a little yellowed at the edges and somewhat dusty; the box they came out of, with 'Property of G. Stevens', is perched on the edge of the table nearby. She looks up from the notes, "y...yes, Yu?" "I am going to tell you about what I will be adding to your v- ...electronic weapon. To BREAKER." She nods "It w...would be useful s...so I can make any n...necessary a...alterations." "Yes, yes, good... we'll need plenty of cooperation... to get this thing done." Cain says, in the background. He is frantically scribbling on many pieces of paper, getting frustrated at some attempts and shredding them in his claws "Quite so. Any expertise would be most welcome." Mr Psychic is sat at a computer screen typing down schematics and notes on mind control. Yu shakes his head. "No changes will need to be made. It will not affect how it works. Through..." Yu rolls a hand, as if searching for the right word. "...certain techniques, ancient ones, any attempt to scrutinise and destroy BREAKER will be made that much harder for the enemy. A...spell attached to it would fog their attempts, make BREAKER slippery like the eel." "...Y..you mean to say...magic?" Tonic doesn't sound quite convinced "Awesome!" Gunn declares. Tonic shifts a few pages from the pile in her hands back into the box, then carries on working through them. Yu wrestles with the notion, before grudgingly giving in with a sigh. "Yes...magic would be...a simple way to describe it." "Call it whatever you need, Yu." Cain says, standing triumphantly with a comparatively thin stack of papers in hand, walking over to the pair of them. "If your techniques can baffle a great scientist, how do you suppose the nanites will react to them?" He leans in slightly to deliver a quieter "Cunning." to Yu, before backing off again, leaving one of his papers by Tonic, and walking over to Gunn. "...The effects of...hmm...that could work...no, that causes aeortal rupturing...what about...no, it turns them green....hmm."Tonic adds that page to the box as well. She picks up the piece of paper put down by Cain, balancing it on top of the stack she is holding to read. Yu gives Cain a relieved look, before giving Tonic a baffled one. He addresses Cain, but also whoever else might be listening. "As I said, the technique will not affect how BREAKER works: it will shadow it, as an unseen guardian." The Games Master is seen to be drawing technical designs of such a program, his notes are intricate and executed with great speed. He gazes up, with deep concentration on his features, shadows darkening his look; his hand does not even stop as it continues to scrawl as he talks. "How will Gunn get close enough to administer the BREAKER?" He muses aloud for all to hear. "...Wait...hoi sin? That can't be right..." Tonic is still focused on the notes. "With inspiring speed, dazzling heroics, and a mad plan." Cain says, throwing in "... and a particularly close relative, I'm sure." "That's thinking like a hero." Mr Psychic is highly approving. Yu just slowly backs away from Tonic as subtly as he can. He turns to listen to Cain and the GM, smiling faintly. Cain dips his head to hide a grin, sliding a leaf of paper intentionally overtly on a desk by him "He merely needs to enter the dimensional pocket, and I will broadcast through Sonne's nanites to the ones we need to affect" says GRANDDAD "I will essentially carry the BREAKER program, then distribute it through Sonne, so we will need to ensure that it is capable of broadcasting widely enough." "Don't need to be close...it will pass like an airborne disease, James...and...ah...I wonder..." Tonic turns and begins to scrawl chemical formulae on a whiteboard up against the wall frantically, occassionally rubbing out single letters or numbers and replacing them. "And Cain, the only one I w...would expect to pass notes is e...elsewhere...use your v...voice..." "Hardly effective, I dare to say. These notes, I am forced to admit, contain elements that are beyond me. They *are*, however..." he says, sliding one on to the terminal GM is working on, "... tailored to everyone's research. Sonne is right. My career has not been one of science, nor most of my pursuits dedicated to creation and invention. Regardless, I intend to do everything I can to assist." Yu finds himself a nearby table to half-sit on, half-lean against, looking satisfied with himself as he folds his arms and listens to the conversation. "Sometimes it isn't about science. Sometimes it's about creativity. Like before now I'd not have half of the ideas I have. There are weaknesses in the array I created that being in Zero-G countered for. So I'm strapping rockets to my legs", Gunn explains. James appears to shudder, his movements electronic. His features; robotic. "Am I the only one who thinks this plan sounds terribly frightening?" "...C...considering what a m...member of my f...family did with s...similar? T...terrifying." "We've every reason to be frightened, James. The foe we face is one of the most powerful, most insiduous, and I dare to say one of the most brilliant. And that is *exactly* why we are here, my friends", Cain says, gesturing to the room with sweeping arms. "This is an evil that cannot go unchecked. A villain that must, more than any before, be stopped. Blitzkrieg intends to dominate the *world* - to strip it of all freedom. To make it so that no hero may ever rise again, that no force could ever *exist* to stop him." "He has m...my Grandafather...my w...work is j...just developments on his...Blitzkrieg h...has the original S...Stevens...u...under n...nanite control...and is u...using him to c...commit atrocities. So...I know, Cain..." Yu nods softly, a focused look in his eyes. "... Um. I kind of have these things inside of my body, and they keep me alive and stop me falling like a puppet with cut strings every time there's a stiff breeze. I'm living proof of the tech in the right hands", Sonne says. "I h...hope we both are p...proof of how the t...techs are v...valuable in the r...right hands." Tonic looks to Sonne and nods "Speaking of which, GM, can I have a word? This isn't a tech thing or a backstabby thing, a personal thing", Sonne says. "Quite so. If only he would learn his lessons through his defeats. His technology could benefit us in ways we may only imagine", says Mr Psychic, agreeing with Tonic. "We will have to secure that it will only affect Blitzkrieg and not all electronic systems within the area, we do not want a volatile weapon on our hands", Games Master says, as he scribbles more designs, then glances up as Gunn addresses him. His pen stops scrawling and drops to the table. "Of course," as he stands. "I'd wager you're looking for some combat advice," he breaks into a playful grin. "..GM..I h...have a...already s...started making provisions...f...for that, based on my own p...past research... I p...promise it will only affect Blitzkrieg and the n....nanites being used for m...mind control." GM gives a nod of trusting. "Not to worry. I'm sure our combined expertise can provide it with an accurate target", Mr Psychic says. CUT The comic cuts to GM and Sonne in the corridor outside the meeting room door "So, uh. Not exactly combat advice. Neat as you are in a fight, well. I guess sort of that? But, uh. Mechanic-Patient confidentiality and all that." Sonne stops at the door, letting GM in first. GM opens the door with a nod and enters. "Go on," "I noticed you have a pretty sweet rig in there. That capacitor for energy absorbtion? Pure genius. But, I uh... I've given it some thought, and... I think it might help the others if they knew, with BREAKER", says Sonne as they walk in the room and... Reb sits looking up at a large humanoid figure, humanoid in a sense it has arms and legs but they are solid blocks, even the head is a rectangular cuboid wth large light-bulb eyes. On the end of each blocky arm are two large clamp-like hands and the legs have two blocks with what look like tank treads. It's chest is elaborate with all manner of useless stuff but looks techy. It looks somewhat see through with grey colouring but other colours fill it out. Reb waves to GM and Sonne as he notices the door open "Ooooh, hey bud", says Sonne. The slightly see-through robot waves his clamp hand and his head spins 360 degrees giving a flash of light from his lightbulb eyes. "Hiya, my experiementing is proving very fascinating... hows the vir... BREAKER going?" The robot stands a good 7 foot tall. "That's rather awesome!" James looks impressed and he grins at Reb. "Frak me it is. You going to build it?" Sonne asks. "I call him Rob, Say hello Rob." Reb smiles to the robot. "HELLO ROB". The robot spins his hand clamps around "... Neat. Hi Rob." "HELLO FRIEND." His hand-clamps spin again. "Ha...i didn't make him do that..." Reb rubs his chin GM turns with a serious look to Gunn, leans over and speaks quietly, "if you're suggesting I tell the team then it can't hurt Reb hearing, if you're willing to carry on the conversation." "Sure." Gunn walks over to a chair and sits in it. "Reb, I was just going to talk to GM here about an idea that might help Doctor Toni's idea." "Can i help?" "Probably. When I was fixing up GM, I noticed a few things. Drew a few conclusions, so correct me where I'm wrong. GM is an AI core, similar to a few Supers through-out history. Has true consciousness, and the ability to generate organic body parts. Likely powered by a Postitronic brain, which is -so- hoopy I can't even describe. Toni mentioned in our scheming that she'd want to do some research into organic robots, bio-nanites. I was thinking of how it might help my Grandad and his host-mainframe, but after our pep talk earlier I felt a bit selfish. I didn't want to let the Oolon out the bag because... well, I don't tell everyone about my calcium deficiencies." Reb looks at him worried. "Is there something that can be done?" "Sure is, buddy! And my Dad did it for me when I was born. I have my Mother's luck that I'm alive, but Gunn Senior put a bunch of nanites in me and they helped make up for it. The suit helps bypass any last bits and pieces, but for anything else I'm a cripple. Not so bad when you're in space, though." He looks a lot less worried. "It's true that I've often kept my identity a secret and tried to appear human to those I fear I can not trust." GM takes a seat opposite. "But now isn't the time for secrets. Thank you for consulting me first though." He gives a slight smile. "Hey, what else are sentients with invested emotional attachment subruetines for?" "Heck, you know, after poking around in there you may even know more about me than I do myself!" GM smiles. "If researching how I am made is going to help defeat Blitzkrieg then it should be done," then his look suddenly darkens, "if absolutely needed I may be able to get hold of some original design blueprints." Rob spins his head 180 degrees then back round the way it came "EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT SUBROUTINES MAKE LIFE ACCEPTABLE." Again, he spins his hand clamps. Reb looks to his robot a bit confused then back. "Well, GM, I didn't want to hold a Gunn to your head, but whenever you want to check things over, I'll hook you up a monitor and we'll see what we can't find out about you." CUT The comic cuts to The Rumble Room, outside it, as Battling Briton, Deep Thought as his side, keys the door to enter. BB strides in. A SQUELCH sound effect comes from below. BB looks down and finds his foot covered in cream. "What in Battlestar Galactica..." He reaches down and out of the mass of broken cake and cream, fishes out a label, which says.... "Sorry for earlier, didn't mean to run into you...research beckoned." It is signed 'B.Stevens (Tonic)' "Sorry, didn't mean to delay your training, which i did... to say sorry, hears some cake up your boot, so now you have to go and change your costume, delaying your training even mutter... your sincerely, Crazy Relative of a Well Established Nut Job" BB says out loud. Deep Thought looks a little awkward. BB looks at him and smiles, slightly frustatedly. "Uh, wait in here, Deep Thought. We -will- get you through the training process today, I promise. Just need to get some spare boots on... oh screw it." He tears off his boot and throws them at the wall. "I can do this bare foot. Lets go." Narration- "Hours Later." We cut to outside the Rumble Room, as Battling Briton waits outside it, alone, standing still in bare feet, arms folded, as the toes on one foot drum on the floor. Tonic is the first to round the corner and see BB as Psychic, Yu, Cain and Tops follow behind her as the very pissed looking BB focusses his gaze towards them. Tonic sees his facial expression and then will try to slip awkwardly to the back of the group. Yu gives BB an odd look as he approaches, frowning at his feet. "Battling Briton." He nods in greeting. "Sorry, who are you exactly?" he says to Yu Reb, Sonne and GM also round the corner "Heeey, Briton. Hey guys." says a suited Gunn. "We met in the Rumble Room earlier. I am Yu, Master of Arms." He gives a respectful bow. "So then right my teacher tried to tell me how the planets revolved aroudn the sun and I began to doubt he knew alot about Einsteinan mehcnaics..." Reb stops talking and seea his Dad very pissed off. James draws his attention from Reb over to Battling Briton. "Ohhhhhhhh right, so you're the guy responsible for training this squad... the guy who somehow ignored the whole hours I operate by to train GSPD recruits. Riggggggght. Well, in future... -I- am using it between the hours of 9 and 12 and 1 and 6, okay? Oh and secondly, though i -know- I am rocking the whole kung-fu Bilbo Baggins look right now, this wasn't actually intentional..." Reb fumbles his fingers round as he watches his Dad rage. "So if you try could telling your not very stealthy token female that if she wants to leave me cake, I do have a house, and a wife who works here, and in front of the door is probably not the best place for it, that'd be great." Yu gives BB a purposefully neutral expression as he listens. "I understand your concerns, Battling Briton." Tonic seems to be resisting the urge to evaporate, which she could possibly do if she tried hard enough "We could always train against one another if there's any overlap. Loser buys the other guys drinks?" James tries to hide a snigger. "Admittedly, the cream was pretty tasty. Don't worry, I don't have verukas. And beating up you guys sounds fun. Now, if you could all wait in the Obs room a moment" he gestures to the door next to the Rumble Room main double doors "I need a chat with my son a moment, in the Rumble Room." Reb looks a tad worried and heads over. "Hi dad." "Son. Get in there." Rumble Room doors swish open Yu grins faintly at Sonne's suggestion, and seems pleased that BB considered it. He stands to one side, giving Reb some room. "See you soon, Reb", Sonne says. Reb heads inside, deathly silent. "You'll see him now. Its an obs room." BB grins the grin of a mischievous father looking forward to telling off his child in the most unique way and then heads into the Rumble Room as the door swishes behind him. Yu shrugs at the others and heads into the Obs room. Tonic is now avoiding eye contact with everyone. James lingers a moment, mutters "he's a good kid," and follows the others to the Obs room. The Obs Room is a simple affair, with several comfy lookign red leathers chairs, some cofee tables, with a drinks machine and water cooler on the side, and a massive screen. Upon the massive screen, you see the Rumble Room; it is currently simulating a dojo. However, the dojo has a background which looks incredibly like a 2D 90s beat-em-up background, including a 'crowd' of various eastern sterotypes, repeating the same actiosna nd expreison voer and over, silently. The Battling Briton takes his mask off and flings it to the side. "Okay, kid." James slouches into one of the leather chairs, looking away from the screen. Cain simply folds his arms, giving a very brief accusing/quizzical look to GM. Having aged a few years since his Planet Titan time, Steve looks now almost exactly like the original Battling Brtion, being ib his thirties, the age that the original. was more or less frozen at. However, his naturally brown hair is dyed black into spikes and he still posseses handsome youthful looks and a square, chiselled jaw. Yu comes to a halt as he spots the contents of the screen. He look at the dojo with a critcal eye, before instantly frowning with bafflement as he notices the background. He folds his arms and tilts his head, studying the screen further. Reb looks to his Dad. "Erm i just want it said i didn't come up with the cake idea," "...S...sorry, R....Reb" Tonic mutters at the screen. "I guessed that. This isn't about that... well its about what led to the cake... but not the cake itself." BB puts a finger to his chin. "The cake itself. Sounds like some kind of cake based horror film... but I digress!" "I don't see what he's so angry about. Guy should watch where he's walking. Cakes are pretty out of the ordinary, when walking into a holosuite", Sonne says. "I d...didn't p...put it there, b...but I h...had it sent...to s...say sorry...for earlier..." The Battling Briton sits on his knees and looks at his son. "Your Mum told me about your little team. She kinda had to, thanks to your rather bloody awful cover story." He actually smiles pretty genuinely. "And, I'm cool with it. Okay, not so cool with the secret thing, but I can see why she made it secret. Too many heroes wanting to charge in there, and they wouldn't have a cool head. And I have this genetic urge to kick Blitzkrieg's face in, so I get it. I also can't keep my mouth shut. So, I know why she didn't tell me. But its just another squad with another assignment, thats cool. I was like 'Why aren't I training them?' But then, I don't train squads unless they ask me to. I train the guys that need to be GSPD licensed -before- we get on the team. So, we get to you." He stands up and takes off the top half of his jumpsuit and flings it away, leaving his sweat-stained vest; his wiry muscles are plain to see. "Tonic's a tricky one, since she's a GSPD employee, but not a sanctioned hero. But, as a scientist 'auxillary' to the team, Laura can get away with sending her. But you. You're not GSPD affiiated at all. And Yu and Cain can train your team -all- they like, but not you. Until I pass you to be cleared as fit for combat. Plus, I am not sending my genius of an eldest son into a war zone, unless I know he can handle himself. Got it?" "Yes dad," he nods. He looks somewhat worried and terrifed but deterimined "Okay. Now, as my son, I am not going to punch you. I've rigged this program to trigger being thrown and hitting a surface as a 'hit' though." He grins. "You can opt for throwing or punching me as you like, it'll detect both. Ready?" "Right... as ready as i'll ever be...though if i win we're getting pizza tonight right?" he asks hopefully. "And if I win, we're getting KFC. Rumble Room, initiate program." Over Reb's head, appears the word in bright yellow blocky letters ROUND 1, which the Think Tank sees too and they also hear the deep, Anmerican voice intoning it. Reb and the Think Tank can also see Reb's portrait floating above him, with a health bar, and the same for BB. As the coming spar approaches, Yu watches with a gaze steadily becoming more and more intense, eyes shifting from father to son. His shoulders instinctively tense. Mr Tops gets out a bag of popcorn. "Anyone?" "ROUUNNNNNNNNND ONE.... FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGGHT!" Tonic has pulled out a notebook, on which she is scribbling almost impossibly complex atomic diagrams, occassionally biting the end of the pencil thoughtfully. Reb's eyes light up with bright light. "Let me show you what I've been doing today." A grin of pure satisfaction appears End of issue.